height limit on rear facing car seat

[AlligatorsMum]

Tt40 - my DS is 10mnths aand 75cm and nearly 10kgs so a big boy and I have him rear facing still. I took a small insert piece put from between his legs first and then took out the newborn insert after that probably a few months ago now so maybe 8mnths but it gives them ALOT more room to grow in height markers. Take it out and see how she fits in it. My DS didn't notice a difference I don't think and still sits rear facing no problems.

[~TT40~]

I got a photo, but its too big to put here... so here is a link to it on fb, it is public so you should be able to see.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=3&theater

she is in right isn't she?

those big wing things near her bum are part of the infant insert. so if i take it out she will get more height, but im not convinced she will be supports around the bum itms

[Eenee]

Cute! Yep she's fine I'd say!

[LuluHB]

I think the confusion is because they've changed from basing the guidelines on weight to height and the line are an indicator of the MINIMUM a child need to be. It could just be that the interpretation of that in the instruction manual is flawed. FWIW, my girls both had SNS Meridiens and I didn't turn them until past 12 months. Miss A is in a new SNS Meridien and again I won't be turning her until she reaches the weight limit, not the height.

Taking the insert out might help and I'm sure I would have taken it out with my first two by the time they were 8kgs - maybe just see how she goes in terms of moving around if she doesn't have her little bott area padded. Miss A's still got a long way to go to get there yet so you must be giving Miss R the serious top shelf stuff ;-)

[onthefly]

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[willow5]

I just found this Meridian brochure from Britax it states on page 11 that the infant insert can be removed to give more growing room when rear-facing and recommend having them rear-facing until at least 12 months

Thanks Mad you beat me Sorry link isn't allowed, but TT40 I have Pm'd you.

[~TT40~]

Thankyou Willow! that is exactly what I have been trying to find but didn't have any luck. thankyou!

[melbel]

The first batches of the new meridian were issued with very low height markers...they have since raised them. I think you must have one of the original ones. You can ring Britax and ask for a replacement seat cover with the newer markers. And yes you can take the infant insert out now.

[melbel]

The infant insert is only there for comfort and to make sure that the buckle sits low enough on their pelvis when they are little. You don't want the buckle to sit too high because it can cause damage to their organs in a crash. You want it To be sitting across their pelvis region so in an accident that area absorbs the impact. If the buckle is sitting in the right spot with the infant insert removed then it is fine to take it out.

[Frangipani Lou]

The manual doesn't really clarify things does it?

'To be used only in a rearward-facing position until the child's shoulders reach the lower shoulder height marker (approximately 12 months of age). '
'Continue to use this restraint in this rear facing mode until the child's shoulders reach the limit of the lower shoulder height marker before turning the seat to face forward.'

I think the only way to really clarify thus is to contact Britax.

[~TT40~]

Thankyou everyone for all your help!!
Melbel ~ Willow informed me of the exact same thing, next time I'm out there I'm going to get the manafacture date and see if that is the case.

thanks =)

[Teeki]

TT, you have the same seat as us. We have two - one from when they just used weight, and one with height markers. The first seat, it says it can be rear-facing until 12kgs, and remove the infant insert at 10kgs. With the second seat, we took it to mean that if her shoulders were below those first height markers then she *had* to be rear-facing, not that we needed to turn her when she was above them. This was confirmed by the consultant at Baby Bunting and the seat fitter.

So we left both seats rear-facing until just recently - DD is almost 17 months and is hovering between 11.5 & 12kgs so we turned her last weekend.

[Joeve]

TT I have no idea but wanted to say WOW what a little cutie Spock is!!

[willow5]

TT, you have the same seat as us. We have two - one from when they just used weight, and one with height markers. The first seat, it says it can be rear-facing until 12kgs, and remove the infant insert at 10kgs. With the second seat, we took it to mean that if her shoulders were below those first height markers then she *had* to be rear-facing, not that we needed to turn her when she was above them. This was confirmed by the consultant at Baby Bunting and the seat fitter.

So we left both seats rear-facing until just recently - DD is almost 17 months and is hovering between 11.5 & 12kgs so we turned her last weekend.

Kaytee, the height marked seat should be different to the weighted seat. I would guess is made to the 2004 standard so the tested weight is only 12kgs. The new height marked Meridians should have been made to the new 2010 standard and they have been tested to 15kgs rear-facing. (even though all references to weight have been removed) Sometimes the baby store sales staff aren't trained up as much as they should be and quite often give wrong advice, which the manufacturers like to hear about so they can recommend re-training. The same goes for fitters. They are usually good with fitting but when it comes to individual seat recommendations they aren't always up with it, sadly
You can check the date of manufacture on your height marked seat to see what standard it was produced under and check with Britax as well. But the new Meridians should be tested to 15kgs so if your DD is still under the line for RF she can stay that way even if she's over 12kgs - if it's the height marked seat. Does that make sense?
So the old one is definitely turn forward-facing at 12kgs(weighted seat)
But the new height marked one should be tested to 15kgs and yes while under the line they should stay rear-facing.
So you can rear-face longer in the new Meridians.

lol I think I just confused myself, my head is full of hay fever today.

[Teeki]

lol I think I just confused myself, my head is full of hay fever today.

Lol no, it all made sense to me! Good to know I can put at least one back the other way, thanks